ANNAM, VIETNAM & SOUTH-EAST ASIA

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The Nguyen Dynasty ruled Annam (now called Vietnam) for 143 years, from 1802 until 1945.  
This period marks the struggle between the Vietnamese and the French over control of the country.

GIA LONG UNITES VIETNAM AND FOUNDS LAST VIETNAMESE DYNASTY

Gia Long founded the Nguyen Dynasty, which nominally ruled Vietnam from 1802 until 1945. With the assistance of a French Roman Catholic Bishop who helped procure western arms, soldiers and introduced western military tactics, Gia Long defeated the Tay Son Dynasty and the Trinh lords, reuniting Vietnam after centuries of internecine feudal warfare. He was formally crowned emperor in 1802.  He was noted for his Confucian orthodoxy, though allowed Catholicism and Catholic missionaries due to their help in gaining his throne. He restored Confucian education and government exams.

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MINH MANG EXPANDS VIETNAM

Minh Mang became emperor of Vietnam in 1820 upon the death of his father.  He continued his father’s Confucian policies but took up an isolationist approach to foreign relations.   Catholic missionaries were expelled and foreign trade restricted. Though he did not like European culture and thinking, he admired its technologies, especially weaponry and mechanics.  He implemented many reforms, including the redistribution of large landholdings, creating a postal service and improved roads.  He expanded Annamese territory and temporarily annexed Cambodia.  He is said to have fathered 142 children from 43 wives and concubines!

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THIEU TRI CLASHES WITH FRANCE

Thieu Tri was the eldest son of Minh Mang, came to the throne of Annam in 1841 upon the death of his father.  He continued his father's policies of isolationism and the entrenchment of Confucianism in the face of France and Great Britian vying for control of South East Asia. In 1847 France attacked and destroyed all Vietnamese costal forts after he imprisoned French Christian missionaries.  Thieu Tri then demanded that all Christians be executed on the spot, however he died in 1847 before any were actually executed

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TU DUC’S DISASTROUS REIGN

Tu Duc was the last independent Emperor of Annam.  His reign from 1847 to 1883 was a disaster.  His father chose him over his elder and more moderate brother, setting off a rebellion within the royal family. He continued the persecution against Christians.  France and Spain responded by attacking the south and capturing Saigon.  He faced numerous natural disasters including a cholera epidemic that killed hundreds of thousands, unusually heavy rains followed by extreme drought, typhoons and a plague of locusts.  Frequent rebellions broke out due to the governments repressive policies.  Chinese Muslims invaded and took over copper mines which were needed to produce the copper cash coins used in most transactions.  Other Chinese rebels attempted to gain control over other parts of the country.  Faced with multiple rebellions, his collapsing authority and French troops marching towards the capital, he chose to make a deal the hated French in order to crush the rebels, who most likely would have deposed and killed him. The French demanded humiliating concessions, including making Annam a French protectorate, taking direct control over a portion of southern Vietnam, allowing the free practice of Catholicism and opening up ports to French traders.  In 1882 Tu Duc then asked the Chinese to send troops to drive out the French.  The Chinese sent 200,000 troops, however Tu Duc died shortly thereafter in 1883, leaving no sons. According to legend, he cursed the French with his dying breath.

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FRENCH MAKE DONG KHANH EMPEROR OF ANNAM

Tu Duc died on July 19, 1883 leaving no male heirs.  This left the court in chaos at a time when the French and Chinese were fighting over control of Annam. Annam went through four emperors in the next 14 months before the French installed 21 year old Dong Khanh as Emperor on September 19, 1885. He loved to wear luxurious jewelry and adopted French culture.  He died in 1889 after reigning only 3 1/2 years.  Annam was effectively now under French control, with the emperor having little real power.

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THAN THAI RESISTS THE FRENCH

French authorities and high-ranking mandarins selected 10 year old Than Thai to become emperor of Annam upon the death of his father Dong Khan.  He was highly intelligent and young enough that the French thought he could be kept under their control.  Instead he took a course of passive-resistance to the French though biting remarks and symbolic gestures. He connected with his citizens though impromptu "town hall meetings" and by sneaking out of the palace dressed as a commoner.  In 1907 while on his way to join a resistance movement in China when he was arrested by the French.  They declared him insane, forced him to abdicate and into exile.  He was finally able to return to Vietnam in 1947 and died in Saigon at age 75 in 1954.

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A YOUNG DUY TAN CONTINUES RESISTANCE TO THE FRENCH

After the forced abdication of his father, the French selected seven year old Duy Tan as the next emperor of Annam.   They hoped that someone so young would easily fall under their influence. He soon noticed that even though he was emperor, all power laid in the French colonial authorities.  In 1916, while France was preoccupied with World War I, he joined a plot to overthrow the French colonial rule.  The plot was discovered. Duy Tan was forced to abdicate and sent into exile with his father on the island of Reunion.   During World War II he joined the Free French forces.  In 1945, following the abdication of Bao Dai, the French proposed again making Duy Tan ruler of Vietnam as an alternative to Ho Chi Minh.  However, he died in a plane crash in Africa on his way back to Vietnam.

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A PLIANT KHAI DINH TAKES THE THRONE

After having to force the two previous emperors to abdicate due to their anti-French positions, the French chose Khai Dinh to be the next emperor of Annam in 1916.  He was the son of Emperor Dong Khanh who died in 1889.  Like his father, he was submissive to the French and opposed independence.  In 1918 he decreed that Romanized Vietnamese replace Chinese as the official written language (though Chinese continued to be used on Annamese coins).  He was highly unpopular due to his collaboration with the French, luxurious living and raising taxes on peasants to pay for his palatial royal tomb.  He was addicted to drugs and was homosexual.  He died of tuberculosis in 1926.  Unlike most Annamese cash coins, this is machine struck rather than cast.

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BAO DAI, THE LAST EMPEROR OF ANNAM

Bao Dai, the only son of Khai Dinh, became Emperor of Annam at age 12 in 1926.  Even after becoming emperor he continued his studies in France and collaborated with the French.  In March 1945, at the urging of the Japanese, he declared an independent Empire of Vietnam, without French control.  After the Japanese surrendered in August 1945, Ho Chi Minh persuaded him to abdicate, turning power over to the Viet Minh. In exchange Ho appointed him "Supreme Advisor".  That position lasted less than a year. In 1949 the French made him the first "Chief of State" of the newly formed State of Vietnam.  He was ousted in 1955 by Ngo Dinh Diem.. He died in exile in France in 1997.

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ONLY COIN OF TONKIN 

Tonkin was a French protectorate, that later became part of North Vietnam.  Tonkin issued only a single coin, a zinc 1/600 Piastre, (1/6 cent) dated 1905.   The coin, commonly called a Sapeque, was intended to replace the widely used Annamese cash coins in circulation.  It was struck in the style of a cash coin: round with a square hole.  One side of the coin had Chinese legends, the other had French legends.  The coin was struck at the Paris Mint. It was unpopular with the Vietnamese and most never entered circulation. The coin is technically Uncirculated, however it will have some spots as is typical of older zinc coins.

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FRENCH INDO-CHINA COIN SET

French Indo-China consisted of the France’s colonies in South-East Asia that later became the Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. This three coin set of French Indo-China includes the pre World War ii 1, 5 and 10 Cents. The bronze 1 Cent portrays an allegorical image of France sheltering and looking down on an allegorical image of Indo-China.  The back has the denomination in Chinese.  The coin dates between about 1920 to 1939 and has a center hole.  The nickel-brass 5 Cent features the head of Marianne - the personification of France, and two cornucopias around a center hole.  It is dated 1938 or 1939.  The 10 Cents depicts the bust of Marianne and a laurel branch on the front and a rice plant and the denomination on the reverse. It is dated between 1939 and 1941.

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LAST COIN OF FRENCH INDO-CHINA 

This 1947 1 Piastre was the last coin struck for French Indo-China before it broke into the nations of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. In 1947 the Viet-Minh and other groups were fighting for independence. The obverse of the 34.5 mm coin pictures Marianne, the female personification of France.  Sprigs of grain and the denomination are on the reverse. The coin has a reeded edge.

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SCARCE VIET-MINH COINS 

As World War II drew to a close, Japanese, Chinese, French and Vietnamese forces all battled for control of Vietnam.  These coins were issued by the Viet-Minh under Ho Chih Minh in 1946. The coins circulated only briefly before being withdrawn in 1948.  The aluminum 5 Hao coin shows a ceremonial urn on one side and the denomination incused in a five pointed star on the other. The large (33mm) aluminum 1 Dong features a portrait of Ho Chih Minh.   Both were struck from scrap aluminum and tend to have minor corrosion. Because the coins were struck under primitive conditions using makeshift equipment, they tend to be crudely struck with weak areas in the design.

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VIETNAMESE GUERILLA CURRENCY

Vietnam declared independence at the end of World War II, however France refused to recognize it.  War raged between the Viet-Minh forces under Ho Chi Minh and France from 1946 until the defeat of French forces in 1954.  The French generally controlled the cities and used the French Indo China Piastre.  The Viet-Minh controlled much of the countryside and issued their own currency.   The notes were to be on-par with the French Indo China Piastre, but due to the large issues of unbacked currency, they quickly fell in value.   Separate issues were made for North and South Vietnam (Nam Bo). From the northern region we have the 1 Dong note.  The denomination is shown as "1$" on the front.  The back has a crude depiction of two females harvesting rice.  The vertical 5 Dong note depicts a woman and a boy holding a sheaf of rice on the back.  The notes were issued in 1946 and 1947.  From the south (Nam Bo) is the 1 Dong that includes a women farmer on the front and five women soldiers on the back.  The 5 Dong includes crude depiction of a Montagnard with a rifle hiding in the brush on the front and a farmer and water buffalo on the back.  Both notes were issued in 1948 and 1949.  All notes are crudely printed under difficult conditions on low quality paper and have wide variations in color and watermarks.  All are scarce.

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NORTH VIETNAMESE CURRENCY

In 1959 North Vietnam did a 1000 to 1 revaluation of their currency (this in addition to the 100 to 10 revaluation done in 1951).  New notes, dated 1958 were released and remained in circulation until after the unification of Vietnam.  The front of 1 Dong note features the Flag Tower of Hanoi, which was built in the early 19th century as an observation post.  The back features farmers planting rice. The 2 Dong depicts an intellectual, female farmer and a worker holding the Vietnamese flag and a soldier on the front.  The back depicts boats.  Ho Chi Minh and tractors are on the front of the 5 Dong.  An open pit mining scene is on the back.   Ho Chih Minh is on the front of the 10 Dong.  A factory is on the back.

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NORTH VIETNAM COINS

In 1958 North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) issued their first coins since 1946 and the first coins since gaining independence full from France in 1955.  Included in the series was the 1 and 5 Xu.  The coins are aluminum and have a center hole. A modified arms o North Vietnam is on one side and the denomination and date on the other.

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NATIONAL LIBERATION FRONT NOTES FOR SOUTH VIETNAM

These rare notes were printed in China for the National Liberation Front in South Vietnam (NLF) in the 1960's.  They may have been intended to be introduced after the 1968 Tet Offensive for use in areas controlled by the NLF.  Instead, the notes were captured by United States and South Vietnamese troops during a military operation in Cambodia in 1970.  The notes were never put into circulation and are technically Uncirculated, but they were stored in a damp jungle environment for many years, so they show signs of water damage and/or minor staining.  The 10, 20 and 50 Xu all feature a star on the front and back.  The brown 1 Dong shows farmers threshing and carrying rice in a field on the front and students in a classroom on the back.  The front of the blue 2 Dong shows a convoy of women carrying heavy packs.  Fisherman with boats and nets are on the back.   The green 10 Dong shows farmers harvesting sugar cane on the front and soldiers ambushing a convoy on the back.  They are rarely seen Vietnam War banknotes.

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SOUTH VIETNAM BANKNOTES

A farmer plowing his field with a tractor is featured on the back of the brown 1 Dong note that was released in 1964. The front features geometric designs and the denomination.  The note has a large watermark of bamboo stalks, similar to the design on the 1960 1 Dong coin.   A new series of notes was released in 1969, all with similar designs.  The fronts feature the headquarters of the National Bank of Vietnam on the front.  The backs has guilloche patterns.  The watermark is Tran Hung Dao, a 13th century general who repelled two Mongol invasions.  From the the 1969 series we have the red 20 Dong, blue 50 Dong and orange 100 Dong.  The 1972 50, 100 and 1000 Dong note features South Vietnam's Independence Palace in Saigon (now called Reunification Hall) on the front.  The 50 Dong has three galloping horses on the back.  The back of the 100 Dong has a man with two water buffalo on the back.   The back of the 1000 Dong pictures three working elephants.  The notes have a  watermark of a Madame Nguyen Thi Mai Anh, who was the wife of the President of South Vietnam.  They were some of the last circulating notes issued by South Vietnam.

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DICTATOR ON FIRST SOUTH VIETNAM DONG

This 1960 1 Dong coin was one of the first coins issued after the formal establishment of the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) in 1954.  The copper-nickel coin pictures Ngo Dinh Diem, the autocratic and corrupt ruler of South Vietnam who was assassinated in 1963.  The reverse pictures bamboo. 

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SOUTH VIETNAM DONGS

A new version of the copper-nickel 1 Dong was issued in 1964 following the assissination of Ngo Dinh Diem. The obverse features the denomination and the name of the nation.  Rice stalks and the date are on the reverse.  In 1971 a new version of the 1 Dong struck in aluminum was released..  It was issued as part of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) coin program.  The design was similar to the 1964 issue, but added a legend above the rice stalks which translates as "Increase Agricultural Production".

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LAST COIN OF SOUTH VIETNAM  

This 1974 10 Dong coin was the last circulating coin issued by South Vietnam before it fell on April 30, 1975.  The 24mm brass-plated steel coin was issued as part of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization's (F.A.O.) Coin program.  The program created awareness of the F.A.O., encouraged people to work towards eliminating food insecurity and raise funds for F.A.O. and related programs.  The reverse of the coin features two farmers in a rice paddy with an inscription which translates "Increase in food production of agricultural products".  The obverse features the denomination. 

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SOUTH VIETNAM LIBERATION COINS

Shortly after the fall of South Vietnam, North Vietnam issued special "Liberation" coins.  South Vietnamese were forced to exchange their coins and currency at the rate of 500 South Vietnamese Dong for 1 Liberation Dong.  Thus the 1 Xu coin was worth 5 South Vietnamese Dong.  1, 2 and 5 Xu coins were issued.  The 2 Xu is dated 1975, the other two are undated.  The aluminum coins are slightly smaller than the 1958 North Vietnam coins.

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POLYMER BANKNOTES FROM VIETNAM

This set of two polymer banknotes from Socialist Republic of Vietnam includes the 10,000 and 20,000 Dong issued between 2011 and 2021.  The front of the notes  feature Ho Chi Minh and the arms of Vietnam.  The back of the 10,000 Dong note depicts offshore oil platforms.  The back of the of the 20,000 Dong pictures the Japanese Pagoda Bridge in Hoi An.  Hoi An was an important trading port until the 19th Century. The bridge was built in the 1600's by Japanese traders who lived on one side of the bridge, while the Vietnamese lived on the other.  It is the only known covered bridge with a Buddhist Pagoda attached to it.   The notes contain numerous anti-counterfeiting devices, including a "watermark", front/back registration marks, and a clear window that shows the denomination. 

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COINS OF LAOS

Laos is a landlocked nation bordering Vietnam.  It rarely issues coins for circulation.   In 1980  Laos issued its first coins for circulation in 28 years. These consisted of the 10, 20 and 50 Att, struck in aluminum and issued by the Lao People's Democratic Republic.  The designs of the coins feature the denomination in large numbers, with a small picture below. A woman holding grain is on the 10 Att, a farmer plowing is on the 20 Att and a fish is on the 50 Att.  The reverse features the national arms, which include a hammer and sickle.

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ATTRACTIVE KINGDOM OF CAMBODIA COIN SET

This three coin set from the Kingdom of Cambodia includes the aluminum 10, 20 and 50 Sen coins dated 1959. The 10 Sen pictures an ornate Garuda bird.  The 20 Sen features a bound Constitution on an urn with the sun above and water below.  The Royal coat-of-arms is on the 50 Sen.  All three coins are Uncirculated.

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KAMPUCHEA COIN

The world did nothing while the Khmer Rouge government of Cambodia slaughtered over a million of their citizens in an effort to create a communist paradise in Cambodia.  Finally in December 1978 the Vietnamese invaded Cambodia and quickly chased out the Khmer Rouge. In 1979 a new government was created for Cambodia and the country was renamed to Kampuchea.  Only a single coin was issued for circulation while the country was called Kampuchea.  It was this aluminum 5 Sen dated 1979.  At one time the coin sold for $20!  Finally, in 1992 the country was again renamed Cambodia.  

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TRADITIONAL THEMES ON CAMBODIAN COINS   

In 1994, with the restoration of the Kingdom of Cambodia and the return of peace after decades of war, Cambodia issued its first coins for circulation in 15 years.  They are also the last coins Cambodia has released into circulation.  The four coin set consists of the steel 50, 100 and 200 Riels coins and the bi-metallic 500 Riels. The designs were largely taken from previous coin issues and feature traditional Cambodian themes. The 500 Riels features the Royal coat-of-arms that was used on the 50 Sen of 1959.  The 200 Riels has the Consititution and urn design that was used on the 1959 20 Sen coin.   The 100 Riels depicts a temple at Angkor Wat that was used on the unreleased 1970 1 Riel coin.  The 50 Riels pictures Independence Monument in Phnom Penh. It was built in 1958 to celebrate Cambodia's independence from France. Cambodian legends are on the reverse of each coin. 

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SIAMESE PORCELAIN MONEY

There was often a shortage of small change in 19th century Siam. Porcelain gaming tokens, known as Pees, were issued by Chinese owned gambling houses were widely used as money in Siam during the 18th and 19th century. After a period of time the gambling houses would recall the tokens and they would be declared valueless, resulting in a substantial profit to the issuer. This porcelain gambling token has the raised Chinese character "Xing", which translates as "Prosperity increase".  The other side has denomination 2 Pai (1/16 Baht) incused in blue.

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THE MOST EXALTED ORDER OF THE WHITE ELEPHANT

Here is your chance to have or give a real White Elephant!  The Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant was established by King Rama IV, the King of Siam in 1861.  It is awarded to government officials by the King of Thailand.  The Order consists of eight classes.  This medal is the Fifth Class Order for females. The elaborately designed enameled medal features a white elephant against a gold background surrounded by red, green, gold and silver rays.  Above is the Thailand’s Great Crown of Victory.  The medal hangs from a red, green and gold ribbons with a pin back making it easy to wear.  The medal is about 45mm and the ribbon is about 115mm (4.5 inches) wide.

In south-east Asia a pale pachydermIt  (white elephant) was an object of veneration.  It required enormous expenses to for its feed and care, but could not be used as a beast of burden, thus became a major burden to its owner.  Thus, in western world, property that entailed large expenses but yielded little profit or items which the owner no longer wants but can not dispose of  became known as white elephants.  This magnificent White Elephant  medal however is something that is highly desirable and entails only a minimal expense.

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THAILAND'S FIRST COMMEMORATIVE COIN CELEBRATES WORLD TOUR

In June 1960 Thai King Bhumibol, Queen Sirikit and their children began a six-month world tour that included the United States and 14 European nations. The young king strengthened diplomatic ties and helped create a glamourous image of the King, Queen and Thailand.  Thailand commemorated their return from the successful journey in January 1961 with its first ever circulating commemorative coin.  The 29.6mm copper-nickel coin depicts the busts of the king and queen on the obverse. Above them is a Trisula-in-Chakra which is the symbol of their royal dynasty. Thailand’s traditional Royal coat of arms is on the reverse.

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THAILAND BI-METALLIC 10 BAHT COMMEMORATIVES

Thailand introduced circulating bi-metallic 10 Baht commemorative coins in 1995.  Since then it has issued a wide range of these popular coins honoring numerous important events, anniversaries,  government agencies and  celebrations of the Royal Family.  Though the coins are reasonably priced and popular with collectors, they can be difficult to obtain.  One of our correspondents has put together a collection of 61 different of these commemorative coins.  This remarkable set includes nearly all of the 10 Baht coins issued thus far, all in Uncirculated condition, and at less than $3 per coin.  It would be a difficult set to put together at any price.

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COINS OF THE NEW KING OF THAILAND  

Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindrade-bayavarangkun, also known as King Rama X, ascended to the throne of Thailand after the death of this father, Rama IX, in 2017.  He has spent most of his life outside of Thailand and has a reputation for being a playboy. He has been married and divorced three times, including a marriage to his first cousin.  Thailand introduced a new set of coins bearing his portrait on the obverse and his royal monogram on the reverse in 2018.  The coins include the 25 and 50 Satang, 1, 2, 5 and bi-metallic 10 Baht.

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